New political and social fiction rooted in West African culture examines what happens when fear gives way to conscience, solidarity and collective action
United Kingdom, 9th Sep 2026 – Gambian writer Sulayman Jeng announces the publication of The Shadow of the Mansa, a compelling work of fiction that brings together political allegory, family relationships, social prejudice and the enduring strength of community.
Set in the fictional nation of Kankary Kunda, the novel follows ordinary people whose lives are increasingly shaped by a ruler who has come to regard public office as personal power. Against a backdrop of intimidation, inequality and division, individuals and families are forced to decide whether they will remain silent or stand together.
At the heart of the novel is a central question: What becomes possible when ordinary people refuse to remain divided?
Jeng’s story moves beyond the corridors of political power to show how change begins in everyday life: within families, friendships, relationships and small acts of courage. The novel presents its characters not as flawless heroes, but as people confronted by fear, uncertainty and deeply rooted social attitudes who gradually discover the strength that comes from collective action.
The book also explores prejudice through the relationship between Mbarodi and Jabou, whose love is challenged by assumptions surrounding ethnicity, family background and social standing. Their story develops alongside the wider political struggle, reinforcing the novel’s message that social change is not limited to governments and institutions, but also requires people to challenge inherited divisions within their own homes and communities.
Elsewhere, characters including Saloum, Musukoi, Silabali, Amadou and Nyakoi face questions of conscience, justice and personal responsibility. From unlawful arrests and political intimidation to community resistance and the search for those who have disappeared, the story examines what can happen when institutions designed to serve the public become instruments of fear.
Yet The Shadow of the Mansa is ultimately a story of hope rather than defeat.
As communities begin to stand together, the novel imagines a different model of leadership, one based on accountability, representation and service rather than authority for its own sake. The transformation of Kankary Kunda extends into practical questions of access to clean water, healthcare, education, land rights and transparent decision-making, placing human dignity at the centre of political renewal.
The author describes the novel as a story about “the struggle between fear and conscience, authority and service, inherited prejudice and the liberating force of human solidarity.”
Although its setting is fictional, the themes are intentionally universal. Jeng invites readers to consider the responsibilities shared by both leaders and citizens wherever power is exercised.
About the Author
Sulayman Jeng is a Gambian writer whose fiction draws upon the social traditions, political tensions and moral questions shaping contemporary African life. His work explores power, community, prejudice, family and the responsibilities that accompany freedom.
In The Shadow of the Mansa, Jeng combines political allegory with an intimate story of love and belonging, using a fictional society recognisably grounded in West African culture to examine how authoritarianism can enter everyday life and how ordinary citizens can reclaim their collective dignity.
About The Shadow of the Mansa
The Shadow of the Mansa is a work of fiction examining leadership, fear, prejudice, love, justice and collective responsibility through the lives of ordinary people in the fictional West African society of Kankary Kunda. Through political and personal struggle, the novel asks whether lasting change can emerge when individuals choose solidarity over division and service over power.
Availability
The Shadow of the Mansa is now published and available to readers through Amazon. Amazon Book Link
Media Contact
Organization: Authors Solution UK
Contact Person: Sulayman Jeng
Website: https://authorssolution.co.uk/
Email: Send Email
Country:United Kingdom
Release id:48900
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